The weekly reading for the week of 1 Shevat, 5764 - January 24, 2004 Parashah: Vaera Exodus 6:2 to 9:35; Haftarah: Ezekiel 28:25 to 29:21; Haftarat Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Isaiah 66:1-24; Maftir Numbers 28:9-15; Mei Kituvim: Psalm 105:1-45; Brit Chadashah: Revelation 15:5-8; 16:1-21


The Bagel: Turned on. Pharaoh and Egypt should've turned off their Anti-Jewish policy. Instead, they should've turned on philo-semitism (love of the Jews). So, G-d turned on the plagues in response. The more that G-d poured out the plagues the greater the resistance that was offered by Pharaoh. There were seven plagues just in this reading of Parashat Vaera with ten in all. Japan realized after the second bomb that the war was futile and surrendered. But Pharaoh never relented and the story of his fate was sealed in the Red Sea.

The Haftarah reading in Isaiah 66 speaks of a similar situation in the time of the end. G-d's enemies will experience the hand of G-d executing judgments. The punishments will be turned on: "....But He shall rage against His foes. See, the LORD is coming with fire -- His chariots are like a whirlwind -- To vent His anger in fury, His rebuke in flaming fire. For with fire will the LORD contend, With His sword, against all flesh; And many shall be the slain of the LORD" (Isaiah 66:14-16 Tanakh JPS). But it will also be a time when G-d will turn on the blessing. The righteous will rejoice: "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, All you who love her!....You shall find comfort in Jerusalem" (Isaiah 66:10, 13 Tanakh JPS).

In the Mei Kituvim reading, the Psalm reiterates the plagues of G-d upon Egypt. G-d turned on those judgements: "He turned their waters into blood and killed their fish" (Psalm 105:29 Tanakh JPS). He turned on deliverance for Israel and brought them out of Egypt. This reading reminds us of G-d's purpose in turning on judgements and deliverance: "....that they might keep His laws and observe His teachings" (Psalm 105:45 Tanakh JPS).

The reading in the Brit Chadashah also brings into focus the time of the end, when the wicked will attempt one last great takeover to usurp righteousness and the rule of G-d in the world. But in the midst of this terrible time in (future) world history, Adonay will commence the redemption of the world in the military and political sense by turning on the end-time judgements. The times of the Gentiles will close and the nearness of the Messianic rule of the world will begin.

As in Egypt the judgements will start with plagues symbolized by the seven bowls. It is fitting that the author of the Apocalypse incorporated the pattern of this Parashah in the symbolism. The parallel pattern being the seven plagues in the Torah and the seven bowls of judgements in Revelation. Pharaoh and Egypt reached the point of no return at the end of these seven plagues. So the world at large will no longer live in detente with G-d's rule, but will rather side with evil, the Devil, and the Antichrist leading to a point of no return: "Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. And a mighty shout came from the throne of the Temple in heaven, saying, "It is finished" (Revelation 16:17 NLT)! This will be the time when G-d turns on the final judgements and close the age and bring in the benevolent rule of the Messiah, after Yeshua destroys His enemies. As Moses, Aaron and the people had to wait patiently for Adonay to complete the redemption in Egypt, so we must wait patiently for G-d to turn on the blessed future.

Cream Cheese Yeshua will turn on the blessing if we let Him turn on the switch!


The weekly reading for the week of 1 Shevat, 5764 - January 24, 2004 Parashah: Vaera Exodus 6:2 to 9:35; Haftarah: Ezekiel 28:25 to 29:21; Haftarat Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Isaiah 66:1-24; Maftir Numbers 28:9-15; Mei Kituvim: Psalm 105:1-45; Brit Chadashah: Revelation 15:5-8; 16:1-21